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For many people, an important facet of the American college experience is joining a club, sports team, or “Greek Life” social organization. However, sometimes a “trial” needs to take place before a candidate can officially join a group. Hazing is an action or activity that is intentionally executed to cause embarrassment to aspiring members of a group or team. Approximately 50% of all college students in the United States admit that they’ve been hazed in the past. However, this experience isn’t all fun and games. Hazing activities frequently lead to severe emotional trauma and detrimental physical injuries. If you’ve sustained injuries during a hazing accident, contact the Plano personal injury lawyers at the Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC. We can investigate your case, pinpoint a negligent party, and develop a litigation strategy that achieves your legal and financial objectives. A successful case result can yield damages that account for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
The Consequences Of Hazing
Hazing is considered a misdemeanor offense that is punishable by exorbitant fines and jail time. Interestingly, the offending party isn’t allowed to use consent as a viable defense option if a candidate is injured or killed due to a hazing event. According to Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, hazing is defined as “any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off campus of an education institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student, that endangers mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in or maintaining membership in an organization.”
Examples of hazing include, but are not limited to:
- Forced binge drinking
- Eating questionable substances
- Acts of physical labor
- Social isolation
- Threats and verbal abuse
- Sleep deprivation
- Branding
- abductions
- Sexual acts against potential members
- Paddling, whipping or beating new pledges
- Making new students commit illegal activities
Many longstanding college groups and organizations have their own unique traditions when it comes to hazing. In fact, most faculty and staff members ignore and even silently condone these campus rituals. However, sometimes students go too far, and their games and activities lead to devastating injuries, lasting medical conditions, and even tragic fatalities.
Common hazing-related injuries include, but are not limited to:
- Alcoholic comas
- Broken bones
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Hypoxic brain damage
- Spinal cord damage
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Sexual injuries or transmitted diseases
Schedule A Consultation Today
If you’ve been injured in a hazing accident, it’s imperative that you seek legal guidance as soon as possible. A severe injury may necessitate expensive medical procedures and ongoing rehabilitative treatments. At the Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC, our Plano personal injury lawyers have over 40 years of collective legal experience and have successfully recovered compensation for thousands of clients.